Beach shelter with inflatable ribs



1966 E. P. MICHENFELDER 3,284,965

BEACH SHELTER WITH INFLATABLE RIBS Filed Feb. 15, 1965 I \Q E INVENTOR. ERICH P M/CHE/VFELDEE BY I ao! fu -1 Arman-rs.

United States Patent 3,284,965 BEACH SHELTER WITH INFLATABLE RIBS Erich P. Michenfelder, 160 W. Hamilton Ave, Apt. 12, Campbell, Calif.

Filed Feb. 15, 1965, Ser. No. 432,522 8 Claims. (Cl. 52-2) The present invention relates to a portable beach shelter, and pertains more particularly to a two-part shelter having inflatable ribs.

In the past inflatable ribs have been used for supporting and stiffening various types of shelter structures. Many of such prior structures have been bulky and cumbersome, and have failed to provide the user thereof with a shelter which could be easily carried to the beach, erected therefor use, and then brought home with a minimum of transporting and storage difficulty, and a maximum of ease and utility.

The present invention provides a two-part beach shelter having a wall portion and an inclined top portion having a marginal, inflatable rib, which projects forwardlyfrom the wall in the nature of an awning, an anchoring flange being provided around the base of the wall portion with means for forming it into pockets to receive sand for weighing it down for use on the beach, the anchoring flange having also pin-receiving holes therein so that the shelter can be anchored to a turf surface if it should be desired to use the shelter on ones lawn or in the park.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved beach shelter of flexible sheet material and having inflatable stiffening ribs incorporated therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide a twopart beach shelter having a generally upright concavoconvex wall portion with inflatable stiffening ribs formed integrally therein, and a removable top panel formed to fit onto the upper edge of the wall portion when the latter is erected for use, the top panel having a marginal, inflatable, stiffening rib incorporated therein, and being of a size to cover the space enclosed by the wall portion and to extend forwardly therefrom in the nature of an awning or visor.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved, two-part beach shelter comprising first, a generally upright, concavo-convex wall portion having a noninflated flange along the lower edge thereof capable of being either weighted down with sand, or staked down with pins, the wall portion having a plurality of closely adjacent, inflatable stiffening ribs incorporated therein and extending throughout the entire erected height of the walls; and a top panel formed to conform with the upper edge of the wall when the latter is erected and to extend forwardly therefrom in the nature of an awning or visor, fastening means being provided for releasably connecting the upper edge of the wall to the top panel.

These objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a beach shelter embodying the invention as it appears when erected and staked down.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in FIG. 1, a person being shown seated therein.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the shelter shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a portion of the top panel being broken away.

FIG. 4 is a plan view in reduced scale of the two portions of the shelter shown in FIGS. l-3 as they appear When separated and spread out upon a flat supporting surface.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. 4, a sealing cap being shown in solid lines in sealing position on the inflating stem, and in broken lines, removed therefrom.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective view showing a lower forward corner of the wall portion of the shelter shown in FIGS. 1-5 with the corner of the base flap brought upwardly and snapped onto the wall portion to provide a pocket for receiving sand, some of which is indicated in broken lines, to anchor the shelter in position on a beach.

Briefly, the illustrative beach shelter A comprises a generally upright wall portion 10 having a non-inflatable apron 11 along its lower edge, and shaped to rest substantially flat on a supporting surface B, such as a lawn or beach. The upright wall portion 10 has a plurality of inflatable ribs 13 formed therein and extending up and down throughout substantially the entire area of this wall member. A top panel 14 is removably attached to the upper edge of the wall portion 10, and has an inflatable marginal stiffening rib 15 formed therein.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, the wall portion 10 may be of any suitable material, such as sheet plastic, or rubberized or other air tight fabric. Numerous materials of this type are well known, and are commonly used in the making of air pillows, air mattresses and other inflatable items, so it will be unnecessary to enter into the details thereof herein. The apron 11 preferably is not inflatable, and is so shaped that when it is laid flat on the ground as shown in FIGS. 13 it will define the desired shape for the base of the shelter A. As illustrated, this apron is of generally circular shape, but it is obvious that the erected configuration of the upright wall portion 10 is determined by the shape of this ground apron 11 and by the portion of the top panel 14 to which the upper edge of the wall portion is attached.

The inflatable ribs 13 of the wall portion 10 are made by seaming or otherwise securing two layers 17 and 18 of suitable flexible air tight material together along lines 19 as by sewing, heat sealing, suitable adhesive or other means in a manner well known to those familiar with the art. Short gaps are left unsealed as at 20 along these seams 19 where the two layers of material forming the wall are left free from sealing engagement with each other so as to provide communicating passages between adjacent inflatable ribs so that they can all be inflated from a single inflating valve 21. The latter, as illustrated, is mounted in an unsealed gap 20a between the center ribs 13a and 13b.

The lower ends of the inflatable ribs 13 toward the free forward edges 22 and 23 of the'wall portion 10 are broader at their bases than at their tops, so as to provide a wall structure of generally conical configuration, and the forward edges curve forwardly toward their lower ends.

One portion 24a of a snap fastener is provided at each free forward corner of the apron 11, and the co-operating other portion 24b of each snap fastener is provided along the forward edge of the upright wall portion 10 at a height to be engaged by the corresponding first fastener portion 24a as shown in FIG. 6. This permits each forward corner portion of the apron to fasten upwardly to provide a sand receiving pocket 25, whereon a quantity of sand 27, indicated by the broken lines in FIG. 6, can be heaped to anchor the shelter A in exerted condition on a beach. Additional sand can of course be heaped on the remainder of the apron 11 as desired, and as required by the existing wind conditions when it is desired to use the shelter.

Grommets 28 are provided in the apron 11 at each forward corner thereof, and also in the center of the rear portion thereof, so that the shelter can be anchored by stakes or pins 29 driven through these grommets in the event that it is desired to erect the shelter on turf.

The top panel 14 is of the desired shape of the upper end of the wall portion when the shelter is erected for use. In the illustrated form of the invention the top panel 14 is circular. Raidially outwardly of the inflatable rib of the top panel 14 is a peripheral flange 30, and snap fastener portions 31a are provided at desired intervals therein, and cooperate with other fastener portions 31b provided in a flange 32 along the upper edge of the wall portion 10.

In using the shelter A, the ribs 13 of the wall portion 10, and the single rib 15 of the top portion 14, are inflated to suflicient pressure to support them in the erected positions thereof shown in FIGS. 1-3, an inflating valve 33, similar to the valve 21, being provided for this purpose on the rib 15. The snap fastener portions 31a and 3117 are then interengaged as shown in FIGS. 1-3 to thereby attach the top panel 14 to the wall panel 10, in which condi tion the flange 30 of the top panel 14 extends over the wall panel in a manner to shed water in the event the shelter is used during a rain storm. The shelter may then be anchored in place on a beach or lawn by heaping sand 27 in pockets formed by engaging the snap fastener portions 24a and 24b, or by driving suitable pins or stakes 29 through the grommets 28.

When the shelter A is to be used frequently, for example during the summer, it is not necessary to completely deflate the ribs 13 and 15 in order to make the shelter easily transportable. Instead, it is only necessary to release a sufficient amount of air from the rib 15 of the top panel 14 to permit the latter to be folded double, and to similarly release a small amount of air from the ribs 13 to permit the wall portion 10 to be rolled up. The two shelter portions 10 and 14 can then be tied up or put into a bag of convenient size for ease in transporting the shelter to and from a desired point of use. For winter storage the ribs of both the wall portion 10 and the top portion 14 can be completely deflated, whereupon the shelter portions can be folded or rolled up into a very small package.

The invention provides a simple, light weight and inexpensive portable shelter which can be easily erected on either a beach or lawn, and which provides maximum convenience and utility.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood, however, that various changes and modifications can be made in the details thereof without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is defined in the following claims:

1. A beach shelter comprising:

a wall portion of flexible sheet material of a size to partially enclose a ground area having a person seated thereon,

a plurality of inflatable stiffening ribs formed inte grally with the wall portion and extending in an upand-down direction thereon to support the wall portion in erected condition,

a ground apron on the lower edge of the Wall, and shaped to rest on the ground when the wall portion is erected to partially enclose such area,

a shelter top portion of flexible sheet material having an outline of a desired shape for the upper edge of the shelter wall portion when the latter is erected to enclose such ground area, and to project forwardly beyond the upper edge of the so-erected wall portion in the nature of an awning,

means for releasably attaching the upper edge of the shelter wall portion to a marginal portion of the shelter top portion, and

an inflatable rib formed marginally of, and integral with, the shelter top portion to support, when firmly inflated, the portion of the shelter top portion which projects in the nature of an awning forwardly from the upper edge of the shelter wall portion.

2. A beach shelter comprising:

a shelter wall portion of flexible sheet material of a size to partially enclose an area having a person seated thereon, forward upright edges of the wall portion being spaced apart to leave an entrance opening at the front of such area,

a plurality of inflatable stiffening ribs formed integrally with the wall portion and extending in an up-anddown direction thereon to support the wall portion in erected condition,

a shelter top portion of flexible sheet material having an outline of a shape to conform with the upper edge of the shelter wall portion when the latter is erected to partially enclose such ground area, and to project forwardly beyond the upright forward edges of the so-erected wall portion,

means for releasably attaching the upper edge of the shelter wall portion to a marginal portion of the shelter top portion, and

an inflatable stiffening rib formed marginally of the shelter top portion, which marginally formed rib, when firmly inflated, supports, in the nature of an awning, the portion of the shelter top portion which projects forwardly beyond the upright forward edges of the shelter wall portion.

3. An arrangement according to claim 2 wherein the wall portion is of a double thickness of air tight sheet material and the ribs are formed by spaced seams extending in an up-and-down direction, a gap being left in each seam to provide communication between adjacent ribs.

4. An arrangement according to claim 2 wherein a ground apron is attached to the lower edge of the wall portion.

5. An arrangement according to claim 2 wherein the wall portion when erected defines substantially a truncated conical fragment.

6. An arrangement according to claim 2 wherein the upper edge of the wall portion defines a plane surface.

7. An arrangement according to claim 2 wherein the upper edge of the wall portion when so erected slopes downwardly from front to rear.

8. An arrangement according to-claim 4 wherein releasable fastening means are provided to attach a portion of the apron to the wall portion to form a sand-receiving pocket.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,830,606 4/1958 Daugherty 52-2 2,863,467 12/1958 Hearell 52-2 2,910,994 11/1959 Jay 52-2 2,946,337 7/1960 Walshin 52-2 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,326,537 4/1963 France.

REINALDO P. MACHADO, Primary Examiner. HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Examiner. 

1. A BEACH SHELTER COMPRISING: A WALL PORTION OF FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL OF A SIZE TO PARTIALLY ENCLOSE A GROUND AREA HAVING A PERSON SEATED THEREON, A PLURALITY OF INFLATABLE STIFFENING RIBS FORMED INTEGRALLY WITH THE WALL PORTION AND EXTENDING IN AN UPAND-DOWN DIRECTION THEREON TO SUPPORT THE WALL PORTION IN ERECTED CONDITION, A GROUND APRON ON THE LOWER EDGE OF THE WALL, AND SHAPED TO REST ON THE GROUND WHEN THE WALL PORTION IS ERECTED TO PARTIALLY ENCLOSE SUCH AREA, A SHELTER TOP PORTION OF FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL HAVING AN OUTLINE OF A DESIRED SHAPE FOR THE UPPER EDGE OF THE SHELTER WALL PORTION WHEN THE LATTER IS ERECTED TO ENCLOSE SUCH GROUND AREA, AND TO PROJECT FORWARDLY BEYOND THE UPPER EDGE OF THE SO-ERECTED WALL PORTION IN THE NATURE OF AN AWNING, MEANS FOR RELEASABLY ATTACHING THE UPPER EDGE OF THE SHELTER WALL PORTION TO A MARGINAL PORTION OF THE SHELTER TOP PORTION, AND AN INFLATABLE RIB FORMED MARGINALLY OF, AND INTEGRAL WITH, THE SHELTER TOP PORTION TO SUPPORT, WHEN FIRMLY INFLATED, THE PORTION OF THE SHELTER TOP PORTION WHICH PROJECTS IN THE NATURE OF AN AWNING FORWARDLY FROM THE UPPER EDGE OF THE SHELTER WALL PORTION. 